Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my characters.

Chapter 4

Hazel and Tachetee screamed in surprise as the owls swooped down on them. They took off at a panicked speed. The owls, including Brutus, gave chase.

"Now what do we do?" Hazel asked, pumping her wings as hard as she can.

"I don't know! Just keep flapping!" Tachetee urged. But no matter how fast they went, the owls were gaining.

"We can't out fly them!" Hazel exclaimed.

"We're dead!" Tachetee yelled. Brutus caught up and, before he can grab them, they literally dropped out of range. Atlas swooped, but this time, the two bats rose higher to avoid his claws.

"Split up!" Tachetee told Hazel. They zoomed in different directions. Half the owls, led by Brutus, went after Tachetee while the other half, following Atlas, pursued Hazel.

---

Tachetee yelped as an owl came in front of her. Thinking fast, she dove nose first towards the ground. She continued her freefall until she started leveling out before hitting the ground. She was experienced when it comes to avoiding birds of prey. She just hoped owls were the same as hawks.

Her plan worked, for she lost most of the birds with that. But Brutus wasn't to be shaken off so easily.

He gained on her, claws extended. Tachetee stopped and flew in the opposite direction. Brutus landed clumsily on the ground, but instantly continued his chase.

Tachetee was growing exhausted. But the mere thought kept her going. She didn't have to suffer long. She found what she was hoping for. A hiding place! There was a large rock that had an opening between it and the ground.

Tachetee measured the distance as fast as she can and found it big enough for her. She only hoped Brutus won't be able to get in.

She immediately zipped inside. She crammed herself in as far as she can go and watched Brutus beat the rock angrily.

"You can't stay in there forever bat!" he yelled.

"But I'm willing to try, mi amigo... I'm willing to try." she responded.

Brutus screeched his outrage and attacked the rock even harder before settling down to wait.

---

Hazel zigzagged through the treetops. She twisted through as many tiny open spaces as she can. The branches were thin and fragile, so the owls broke through them unfazed.

She looked over her wing and her eyes went wide. There's no stopping these birds!

With a new plan, Hazel made a sudden land on a tree, clinging to the trunk like a squirrel. When an owl tried to grab her, she scurried to the other side of the tree.

But the owls didn't remain stumped for long. They soon came up with a counter move. They surrounded the tree and struck simultaneously. Hazel, however, expected such a thing to happen and fluttered to the ground, leaving the owls to strike only the tree.

She landed on all fours. The birds of prey swooped down at her. She made use of her agility and jumped out of the way of each attack. The birds were at first surprised. They never met a bat that is this agile on the ground.

But one had come close to grabbing her, missing by a hair. Hazel instinctively hissed at the passing owl. It was then that she noticed her mistake.

She can't take off! The air was filled with owls. There's no way she can fly without getting caught.

"I'm dead." she mumbled. She ran along the ground, trying to get the sky clear enough to get off the ground. The owls followed her from the air.

Atlas landed in front of her and attempted to pin her down. Again she hopped away from each strike.

"Screw you! Go away!" she shouted at him. He didn't respond verbally, but the extra strength he put in his attacks revealed inward anger.

She continued to dodge, but also kept an eye out for any openings in the group of owls. Then she spotted what she's been waiting for. An opening revealed itself. She made a fly for it. The owls tried to stop her, but she managed to make it through.

"Adios, amigos!" she shouted as she zoomed away into the branches. The owls searched through the tangle of leaves, but couldn't find her. Where could she have gone?

Hazel found that she was well camouflaged against the bark of particular trees. She had pressed herself against the bark of a thick branch. She watched with her echoes as the owls flew past her and shrunk into the distance.

With a sigh, she flew in the opposite direction. She's free! She got away! No more owls! But the moment she thought those, something struck her down with a giant feathered wing.

She was sent crashing at a forty-five degree angle. She collided with the base of the tree and slid to the ground, landing on her side with a soft thud. A large shadow loomed in front of her and landed. She opened her eyes to see Atlas glaring at her.

"You suck...I hate you..." she muttered. Then lights out.